From My Mind to....

Some Good News

Had another phone call from my Oncologist, Dr PN, yesterday afternoon. She verified that the original biopsy that determined I had kidney cancer wasn’t from a lymph node, but from a branch off the actual tumor. She reiterated that moved me from Stage IV to Stage III, which opens additional treatment options, including possible Clinical Trials.

Apparently, there is a National Oncology Program that provides information regarding treatment plans and potential clinical trials. Dr PN is following up with them about my case. She tells me all this is good news; I am cautiously optimistic. She's scheduling me for another of the same scan that diagnosed my cancer for comparison purposes before my first immunotherapy treatment on Jun 12. At this point, testing is much better than surgery.

The other bit of good news is the consult request for genetic testing bore fruit much earlier than I was told. I’ll be doing a video conference call with that office in mid-Jun versus the Oct-Nov timeframe I was originally told. Now I have to piece together my family’s history of cancer before the call.

I have an aunt--my dad’s sister--who is about ten years older than I. She is the only person in my immediate extended family still alive (leaving me the next oldest, I might add). A sobering thought to realize I’m the oldest of my line. Anyway, I hope Aunt K can fill in some medical history gaps.

For anyone reading my blogs, consider doing your own deep dive into your family history, especially if you still have lots of family available. Time goes by fast, and everyone should know about their family history. I’m not talking about just medical information.

My Dad passed 16 years ago and I’d give anything to talk with him. Life happened and we didn’t talk as much as we shoulHad another phone call from my Oncologist, Dr PN, yesterday afternoon. She verified that the original biopsy that determined I had kidney cancer wasn’t from the lymph node, but from a branch off the actual tumor. She reiterated that moved me from Stage IV to Stage III, which opens additional treatment options, including possible Clinical Trials.

Apparently, there is a National Oncology Program that can provide information regarding treatment plans and potential clinical trials. Dr PN is following up with them about my case. She tells me that is good news; I am cautiously optimistic. I will be scheduled for another of the same scan that diagnosed my cancer for comparison purposes before my first immunotherapy treatment on Jun 12. At this point, testing is much better than surgery.

The other bit of good news is the consult request for genetic testing bore fruit much earlier than I was told. I’ll be doing a video conference call with that office in mid-Jun versus the Oct-Nov timeframe I was originally told. Now I have to piece together my family’s history of cancer before the call.

I have an aunt, my dad’s sister, who is about ten years older than I. She is the only person in my immediate extended family still alive (leaving me the next oldest, I might add). A sobering thought to realize I’m the oldest of my line. Anyway, I hope Aunt K can fill in some medical history gaps.

For anyone reading my blogs, consider doing your own deep dive into your family history, especially if you still have lots of family available. Time goes by fast, and everyone should know about their family history. And I’m not talking about just medical information.

My Dad passed 16 years ago and I’d give anything to talk with him again. Life happened and we didn’t talk as much as we should have. A huge regret! Perhaps I didn’t know the questions to ask then. Perhaps the space between us had grown larger … and not just the physical distance of half the country. I still should have made the effort.

Don’t wait!